Cleaning apparatus

ABSTRACT

A dustpan comprises a base having an upper surface for collection of waste and a lower surface for resting on a floor. The base comprises an elongate channel extending between opposing edges of the base. The channel is open to the lower surface of the base and configured to house a portion of a shaft of a broom to releasably attach the dustpan thereto.

The present invention relates to improvements in cleaning apparatus. In particular the present invention relates to a dustpan and an associated broom.

Dustpan and broom combinations are a common household implement, often with the dustpan having an elongate shaft such that it may be manoeuvred with the broom whilst person is standing.

Such dustpans typically attach to the broom by means of a clip that attaches together the shafts of the broom and the dustpan, or by means of a hook on the broom shaft upon which one or more protrusions may be supported.

The present invention seeks to improve upon the prior art.

According to the present invention there is provided a dustpan having:

-   -   a base having an upper surface for collection of waste and a         lower surface for resting on a floor; wherein:     -   the base comprises an elongate channel extending between         opposing edges of the base;     -   the channel is open to the lower surface of the base and         configured to house a portion of a shaft of a broom to         releasably attach the dustpan thereto.

Provision of dustpan having a channel formed in its base that may releasably attach the dustpan to a shaft of broom is advantageous as a broom may be used with or without the dustpan attached thereto. This avoids problems with prior art broom/dustpan combinations that are not usable when the two parts are attached together.

In some embodiments the channel is substantially semi-cylindrical.

Provision of a semi-cylindrical channel allows for the dustpan to readily attach to a shaft of a broom.

In some embodiments the channel is positioned on the dustpan such that the weight distribution to either side of the channel is between 30/70 and 70/30 or is between 40/60 and 60/40, or is between 45/55 and 55/45, or is around 50/50.

By positioning a channel such that the weight distribution on either side of the channel is not greatly different, or is substantially equal, a broom maintains its manoeuvrability when the dustpan is attached thereto.

In some embodiments the channel is positioned in the middle third of the dustpan, or is positioned in the middle quarter of the dustpan, or is positioned in the middle fifth of the dustpan, or is positioned substantially centrally between a front edge and a rear edge of the dustpan.

By positioning a channel in a middle section of the dustpan, or substantially centrally, a broom maintains its manoeuvrability when the dustpan is attached thereto.

In some embodiments the base is substantially rectangular, a first pair of opposing edges is longer than a second pair of opposing edges and the channel is substantially parallel to the longer pair of edges.

By positioning a channel such that is substantially parallel to the longer edges of the dustpan a broom maintains its manoeuvrability when the dustpan is attached thereto as the width of the broom/dustpan combination is minimized.

In some embodiments the channel comprises at least one narrowed portion, or a plurality of narrowed portions configured to grip a shaft of a broom.

In some embodiments the channel comprises a first narrowed portion adjacent a first end of the channel and a second narrowed portion adjacent a second end of the channel.

In some embodiments the base comprises a front edge over which waste is to be swept, an opposing rear edge and first and second side edges;

the dustpan comprises a dividing wall extending between first and second side edges; the dividing wall extends upwardly from a part of the base that defines a wall of the channel and partitions the base of the dustpan into a frontal waste-collection area and a rear foot grip area.

In some embodiments the dustpan comprises first and second side walls extending upwardly from the base along the first and second side edges.

In some embodiments the dustpan comprises an upper handgrip portion extending over the foot grip area and towards the rear of the dustpan.

In some embodiments the handgrip portion is substantially planar and located in a plane substantially parallel to the base.

In some embodiments the foot grip area comprises a textured surface.

In some embodiments there is provided a dustpan and broom combination comprising the dustpan of any preceding statement of invention.

In some embodiments the shaft of the broom comprises at least one collar of greater diameter than the shaft and a portion of the channel of the dustpan is sized such that it may accommodate the collar when the dustpan is attached to the broom.

In some embodiments a portion of the channel of the dustpan that is sized to accommodate a collar is a portion of channel located between two narrowed portions of channel.

Beneficially in some embodiments a collar on a broom shaft may be employed to restrict movement of the dustpan along the shaft of the broom.

In order that the present invention may be more fully understood a specific embodiment will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 shows a first perspective view of the top of a dustpan made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the underside of the dustpan of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the dustpan of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 4 shows a second perspective view of the dustpan of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the underside of the dustpan of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a broom for use with the dustpan of FIGS. 1 ; and

FIG. 7 shows the dustpan of FIG. 1 attached to the broom of FIG. 6 .

A dustpan 1 comprises a substantially rectangular base 2 having a front edge 2 a, rear edge 2 b, a first side edge 2 c and a second side edge 2 d.

Dustpan 1 comprises a first side wall 4 a extending upwardly from the base along the first side edge 2 c. Dustpan 1 also comprises a second side wall 4 b extending upwardly from the base along the first side edge 2 c.

Connecting first side wall 4 a and second side wall 4 b is handgrip portion 5, which is substantially planar and lies in a plane that this substantially parallel to base 4 and is spaced apart from base 4 by the height of side walls 4 a, 4 b.

Dustpan 1 comprises an elongate channel 3 that is open to the underside of base 2.

Channel 3 extends between first side edge 2 c and second side edge 2 d of base 2. Channel 3 is substantially parallel to front edge 2 a and rear edge 2 b.

Channel 3 is substantially equidistant between front edge 2 a and rear edge 2 b.

Channel 3 is substantially semi-circular in cross-section such that channel 3 is substantially semi-cylindrical.

Dustpan 1 comprises a dividing wall 6 extending upwardly from a part of base 2 that defines a wall of channel 3.

Dividing wall 6 extends between first side wall 4 a and second side wall 4 b and connects with handgrip portion 5.

Handgrip portion 5 extends from over elongate channel 3 towards the rear of dustpan 1 to terminate roughly in line with rear edge 2 b.

Dividing wall 6 thereby partitions base 2 of dustpan 1 into a frontal waste-collection area 2 e and a rear foot grip area 2 f.

As elongate channel 3 is roughly centrally disposed between front edge 2 a and rear edge 2 b of base 2 the areas of frontal waste collection area 2 e and rear foot grip area 2 f are roughly equal.

At the front edge 2 a of base 2 dustpan 1 comprises a lip 7 formed of an elastomeric material. Lip 7 is configured to form a seal with a floor surface so as to aid a user in sweeping waste into waste collection area 2 e.

Rear foot grip area 2 f is provided with a plurality of ridges 12 moulded into base 2 so as to assist a user in retaining dustpan 1 in a substantially fixed position by applying pressure to foot grip area 2 f with a foot.

Elongate channel 3 comprises adjacent first side edge 2 c of base 2 a first narrowed portion 8 a. Elongate further channel 3 comprises adjacent second side edge 2 d of base 2 a second narrowed portion 8 b.

First and second narrowed portions 8 a, 8 b are of slightly smaller diameter than the remaining length of channel 3 that extends between first and second narrowed portions 8 a, 8 b.

Dustpan 1 is configured to attach to a broom 9 by means of narrowed portions 8 a, 8 b, which are configured to releasably grip a shaft 10 of broom 9.

As illustrated in FIG. 7 dustpan 1 may releasably snap fit to shaft 10 of broom 9.

Shaft 10 of broom 9 comprises plastic collars 11 that are attached to shaft 10 to strengthen the areas of shaft 10 at its joints where sections of shaft 10 are screwed together.

Beneficially as narrowed portions are provided at either end of elongate channel 3, the wider middle portion of elongate channel 3 is capable of housing any plastic collar 11 that may be wider than the diameter of shaft 10 of broom 9.

Advantageously a user may employ broom 9 to sweep waste whilst dustpan 1 is attached thereto.

When a user wishes to collect a pile of waste dustpan 1 may be detached from shaft 10 of broom 9 and positioned on the relevant floor surface.

Holding dustpan 1 steady with a foot placed on foot grip area 2 f a user may then sweep waste into waste collection are 2e.

In this specification an apparatus/method/product “comprising” certain features is intended to be interpreted as meaning that it includes those features, but that it does not exclude the presence of other features.

Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. 

1. A dustpan having: a base having an upper surface for collection of waste and a lower surface for resting on a floor; wherein: the base comprises an elongate channel extending between opposing edges of the base; the channel is open to the lower surface of the base and configured to house a shaft of a broom to releasably attach the dustpan thereto.
 2. The dustpan of claim 1 wherein the channel is substantially semi-cylindrical.
 3. The dustpan of claim 1 wherein the channel is positioned on the dustpan such that the weight distribution to either side of the channel is between 30/70 and 70/30 or is between 40/60 and 60/40, or is between 45/55 and 55/45, or is around 50/50.
 4. The dustpan of claim 1 wherein the channel is positioned in the middle third of the dustpan, or is positioned in the middle quarter of the dustpan, or is positioned in the middle fifth of the dustpan, or is positioned substantially centrally between a front edge and a rear edge of the dustpan.
 5. The dustpan of claim 1 wherein the base is substantially rectangular, a first pair of opposing edges is longer than a second pair of opposing edges and the channel is substantially parallel to the longer pair of edges.
 6. The dustpan of claim 1 wherein the channel comprises at least one narrowed portion, or a plurality of narrowed portions configured to grip a shaft of a broom.
 7. The dustpan of claim 1 wherein the channel comprises a first narrowed portion adjacent a first end of the channel and a second narrowed portion adjacent a second end of the channel.
 8. The dustpan of claim 1 wherein the base comprises a front edge over which waste is to be swept, an opposing rear edge and first and second side edges; the dustpan comprises a dividing wall extending between first and second side edges; the dividing wall extends upwardly from a part of the base that defines a wall of the channel and partitions the base of the dustpan into a frontal waste-collection area and a rear foot grip area.
 9. The dustpan of claim 8 wherein the dustpan comprises first and second side walls extending upwardly from the base along the first and second side edges.
 10. The dustpan of claim 8 wherein the dustpan comprises an upper handgrip portion extending over the foot grip area and towards the rear of the dustpan.
 11. The dustpan of claim 10 wherein the handgrip portion is substantially planar and located in a plane substantially parallel to the base.
 12. The dustpan of claim 8 wherein the foot grip area comprises a textured surface.
 13. A dustpan and broom combination comprising the dustpan of claim
 1. 14. The dustpan and broom combination of claim 13 wherein the broom comprises at least one collar of greater diameter than the shaft and a portion of the channel of the dustpan is sized such that it may accommodate the collar when the dustpan is attached to the broom.
 15. The dustpan and broom combination of claim 14 wherein a portion of the channel of the dustpan that is sized to accommodate a collar is a portion of channel located between two narrowed portions of channel. 